Operating mechanism for car-doors.



M. TAYLOR.

OPERATING MEOHANISM POR GAR DOORS.

(APPLICATION FILED-FEB. 19, 1912.

Patented Oct. 22, 1912.

l 7. m... y .u mn/ w Am m .ma 400m m w EV/ ./r Dv Z amante-z MARION TAYLOR, F SOUDAN, VIRGINIA.

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR CAR-DOORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 22, 1912.

Application led February 19, 1912. Serial No. 678,436.

To all 'whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARION TAYLOR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Soudan, in the county of Mecklenburg, and' State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Operating Mechanism for Car-Doors; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in operatingmechanism for the doors of freight cars.

One object of the invention is to provide a door operating mechanism of the character described which is constructed andarranged in such manner that pressure will be applied to the door at the top and bottom thereof, thereby causing the door to open smoothly and without binding.

Another object is to provlde means for fastening the operating mechanism and means whereby a seal may be applied thereto.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, and the combination and arrangement of parts as will be more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings; Figure 1 is a' side view of a portion of a freight car showing the application of the invention to -the door, the latter being illustrated in a partly open position; Fig. 2is an enlarged y vertical sectional view through the door showing more clearly the manner in which the door operating mechanism is applied and means whereby the same is fastened; Fig. 3 is an enlarged side View partly in section of the lower portionlof the door and the adjacent parts of the car, showing the arrangement of the door supporting rollers and track; Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view t-aken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2 showing a plan view of the crank handle of the door operating mechanism and the means for fastening and sealing said handle against operation; Fig. 5 is a detail vertical section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3 showing more clearly the arrangement of the supporting roller and track of the door. .Fig 6 is a detail sectional view of the `lower end of the door operating shaft showing the same provided with a hand wheel instead of a crank 5 handle.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, 1 denotes the side of a freight car, 2 denotes the door which is slidably supported by a track bar 3 secured to the side of the car along the lower edge thereof as shown. The track bar 3 is spaced a suitable distance from the side of the car and is adapted to receive grooved door supporting rollers et which are revolubly mounted in recesses 5 formed in the lower edge of the dooras clearly shown in, Figs. 3 and 5 of the drawing. In the lower edge of the dooris also formed a longitudinal groove or channel -6 into which the upper edge of the trackbail projects. The upper edge of the track bar when thus engaged with the groove 6 positively holds` the door againstswinging outwardly at its lower edge and keeps the supporting rollers thereon into operative engagement with the track. On the inner side of the door along its lower edge is arranged a wear plate 7 and on the outer side of the door along its lower edge is arranged a rack plate 8, while on the outer side of the door along its upper edge is arranged a rack plate 9. The plates 8 and 9 are bolted or otherwise rigidly secured to the door and have formed therein series of slots or notches 10.

Secured to the outer side of the .car adjacent to the upper edge of the door and near the rear edge of the door opening in `the side of the car is an upper bearing bracket 11, while to the floor sill 12 of the car below and in line with the bracket 11 is a lower bearing bracket or plate 13, having an upwardly projecting right angular sill engaging lug 14. In the brackets l1 and 13 are formed bearing apertures in whleh are revolubly mounted the reduced ends of a door operating shaft 15 which is disposed adjacent to the outer side of the door and has fixedly mounted thereon near its ends, spur gear pinions 16 and 17 which are adapted to respectively engage the notches l0 of the lower and upper rack plates 8 and 9 asv clearly 'shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing.

Fixedly mounted onthe lower end of the shaft 15 is a crank handle 1S on the outer end of which is an upwardly projecting fastening stud 19 having therein near its upper end a transverse aperture 20, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described. Loosely l connected by a staple or other suitable fastening device 21 to the' lower side of the iioor sill 12 of the car is a handle fastening Y pressure will be applied to the door at both the upper and lower ends thereof, thus causmg the upper and lower portions of the door link 22 in the outer end of which is an eye 23 adapted to be engaged with the stud 19 on the end of the handle when the latter vis swung around beneath the" car as clearly shown in Fi s. 2 and 4 of the drawings. When the lin 22 thus engaged with the handle 18 the latter and the operatin mechanisin of the door will be securely astened and the door thus locked in a closed position or in any other position to which-the same may ,have been moved vby the operating mechanism. The handle 18 when thus fastened-by the link 22 willbe held beneath the car in an out of the way position wherein the handle is not Vliable to be brought into` engagement with or lstruck and damaged by other objects. After the link22-has been engaged with the `stud 19 in the manner described, a sealing Wire 24-may-be engaged with the aperture 20 in the stud 19 and said /wire passed around the handle and a' seal applied thereto as shown in Figs. 2 and 4 of the drawin thereby preventin the release of the han le for moving the (I first breaking the sealing-wire orseal.

By providing adoor operating mechanism constructed in 'accordance with my inven- .tion and applying the same to the'door near the upper and lower edges thereof as herein shown and describedit will be .seen that to be moved at the same speed which will positively prevent either end of thedoor from binding and thus becoming stuck Aor wedged as frequently occurs whenropening and closing the usual form of freight carl doors and which when thus becoming stuck or jammed frequently require the combined efforts of several-men to release the same. Another important feature of the invention,

yis the arrangement of the operating handle' and the meansllfor fastening the same beneath the ca r as-herein shown and -described wherein the handle will be in an out of thel way position and the operating mechanism securely locked and sealed against move-` ment thereby holding the door in 'a closed7 open or partly open position.

In Fi 6 of theldrawings'II have illus-` trated a hand wheel which may be substituted for the' crank handle 18, if desired. g

Fromthe foregoing description taken` in connectionwithv the accompanying drawl ings, `the construction and operation of the oor without 1,041 ,eci

invention will be readilyk understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various vchanges in the forni, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted lto without departing from the' principle or sacrificing any of the advanta es of the invention as claimed aving thus described my invention, whatl Iclaim is; l

1. In an' operating mechanism for car doors, afrevolubly mounted operating shaft, geared to the door near the upper and lower ends thereof,a crank handle fixed on. the lower en'd of said shaft and adapted to revolve beneath the car, ana erturedstud arranged on said` handle, a andle fastening link loosely secured to theunder. side of the car and having'on its free end an eye adapted to be engagedwith the stud on said handle whereby the latter is' lfastened beneath the car and theoperating mechanism therebylocked lto liold the door in a closed or cent to the top and bottom of the door, shaft' supporting brackets secured to the car above and below 'the door'opening therein, an operating shaft r'evolublyy mounted in `said brackets, gears fixedly mounted on said shaft and 'adapted to engage the rack plates .on

the door, a crank handle fixed on the lower,

end of said shaft, an apertured -stud -arranged onvsaid handle, avhandle fastening link loosely secured tothe under side of the car and-,having in-its free end an eye adatp.- e

, ed to be engaged with said stud whereby handle is fastened beneath the car andthe operating, mechanism thereby locked to hold the\doorin;afclosed or'open position, and a '.s'ealadapted tobe' applied to the apertured 'fstud on said handle whereby the link ispre- `vented from being disengaged from the stud without breaking the seal.

In :testimony whereof I have hereunto set Amy hand in .presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MARION TAYLOR. Witnesses:` 

